

Find quality mental health support in Portsmouth using your UnitedHealthcare plan with Headway's network of 113 providers. Sessions start at $0–$20 with insurance, and you can schedule with an available provider as soon as next day or within two weeks. Headway handles insurance so you can prioritize your wellness.
I am a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) with experience in both outpatient and inpatient settings, providing comprehensive mental health care across diverse populations. My background includes extensive work in behavioral health emergency settings, partial hospitalizations, IOP, recovery care, community psychiatric care. I also have experience supporting dually diagnosed patients with co-occurring medical conditions, giving me a broad perspective on the complex interplay between mental and physical health.
I earned my PMHNP degree from Post University and hold PMHNP licensure in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Throughout my career, I have remained committed to evidence-based care, while continuously seeking opportunities for professional development and growth in the mental health field.
I have over twenty years experience, working with people with mental illness and substance abuse.
Stimulants, Suboxone and Benzodiazepines are prescribed in this practice with DEA guidelines. Dr. Padilla is a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the New York tri-state area and has over 30 years of experience in healthcare. He treats children from 6 years old through adulthood, focusing on psychiatric medication management. He specializes in mental health and has extensive experience in the field of psychiatry. Dr. Padilla takes a “start low and go slow” approach to prescribing, paying special attention to medication potency and potential interactions with other medications prescribed by other providers. Dr. Padilla earned his Doctorate in Clinical Practice Nursing from Rutgers University–New Brunswick. He also holds bachelor’s degrees from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and the University of Miami, as well as an associate’s degree from Bergen Community College.
My name is Melanie Hunter and I am a licensed professional counselor with over 20 years of experience as a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) practitioner. I hold a Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Texas State University. I began my career working with adolescents through a non-profit organization and then later, adults in employment settings. My work providing telehealth counseling with adults began in 2020.
I have over 35 years of healthcare experience in a variety of fields.
I am dual certified in both family and psychiatric medicine.



Headway makes it easy to get affordable in-network mental health care with United Healthcare — from finding the right therapist or psychiatrist, to understanding costs, to booking your first session.